After seeing Inception this week, for me Toy Story 3 is still the only movie I have seen in cinemas this year that has a flawless story, reaching for a four-quadrant audience with a script that is at the same time intelligent and moving. But while analyzing Toy Story 2 I was reminded how much I love this one – and how much TS3 is indebted to it.

Because the Pixar brain trust have proven beyond any doubt that they understand how stories for the big screen work, I have decided – encouraged by a good friend and fellow Pixar fan – to analyse every single movie from their stable. You can now find structural analyses on this site for the following movies:

• • • Toy Story 1
    • Toy Story 2
    • The Incredibles
    • Up
    • Toy Story 3

A Structure that works

So far I have found that the Pixar movies are often structured around an eight-sequence hero’s journey, with two sequences in acts one and three and four in the second act. Sometimes (like you will see below) Act Two consists of five sequences with the mid point sitting in the middle sequence rather than at the end of the fourth sequence.

Each movie has a powerful Mid Point Reversal – not just a ‘point of no return’ – and all three Toy Story movies have more than one transformational journey. Later (e.g. with Finding Nemo and Ratatouille) we’ll find that some of the Pixar stories have a  dual protagonist, each with their journey of change.

all three Toy Story movies have 
more than one transformational journey.

Now let me ask you: do you like these movies? Have you embraced the structural engine behind them? Do you master it? Or are you still resisting the structure, thinking that it’s all just about the characters?

Well, good luck to you if you are.

spoilers about Toy Story 2 and 3

We’re only eight minutes into the movie when Woody rips his arm and Andy shelves him. Right there is a metaphor reminding us of our mortality, soon reinforced by Wheezy’s statement that there is no use in prolonging the inevitable: all toys are ultimately destined for the garage sale.

How much deeper can a movie go
with its thematic challenges?

In Act Two Woody has to decide what his purpose in life is when he actually does have an opportunity to ‘prolong the inevitable’ by going to a museum. Now he has to choose between (the equivalent of) immortality and happiness for a child. How much deeper can a movie go with its thematic challenges?

At the Mid Point, there’s a heart-wrenching moment when Jessie shares her emotional wound with Woody. This experience will be referenced again in Toy Story 3 when Jessie says “It’s Emily all over again!” and it’s not hard to recognize the exact same emotion in Chuckles’ story about Daisy leaving Lotso, Big Baby and himself behind. In Toy Story 3, however, the abandonment is a result of a mistake rather than a deliberate donation.

Now, despite the fact that Toy Story 2 is immaculately – and, yes, almost mathematically – structured around nine sequences,  this movie is not all about just slavishly following structural principles. Actually, it breaks one major rule… Look carefully and you’ll find something quite peculiar about the second act.

Look carefully and you’ll find
something quite peculiar about the second act.

Where in most transformational movies at the Mid Point the Hero changes the approach from ‘doing it the easy way’ to ‘doing the right thing’, Toy Story 2 shows that the opposite can work, too. Initially it is Woody’s plan to return to Andy; at the Mid Point he is so moved by Emily’s story that he changes his mind, only to be brought back to reason at the end of Act Two.

Enjoy!

ACT ONE

Sequence A: Preparing for cowboy camp, then shelved. (10mins)

00.00 Disney + Pixar Logos + Credits, space version.
01.00 Opening Sequence: Buzz vs. Zurg (video game)
04.30 Woody’s hat is missing. Going to cowboy camp with Andy.
06.30 Slinky: good news (hat found) and bad news (Buster the dog). Red alert!
08.00 Five minutes: Andy plays with toys. Rips Woody’s arm. Leaves him behind.
09.00 Mom: Toys don’t last forever. Woody shelved. Andy leaves without him. (I.I.)

Sequence B: Rescuing Wheezy, then stolen by collector. (8mins)

10.00 Andy back early from cowboy camp. Nightmare. “Bye Woody!” Wakes up.
11.00 Woody finds Wheezy. Shelved, too. Yard Sale. Emergency Role Call.
12.30 Mom takes Wheezy away. Woody calls Buster: to the yard sale. Toys don’t get it.
13.30 Outside: not being noticed, into box, find Wheezy, falls off Buster.
14.30 Al picks up Woody. Offers 50C, then $50, then steals him.
16.00 Buzz goes after him but falls off. License plate: LZTBRN.
17.00 Al goes into apartment. No children allowed.

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ACT TWO

Sequence C: New friends – They want Woody to stay. (12mins)

17.30 Toys reconstruct abduction, decode license plate: Al’s Toy Barn.
19.00 Al: You’re gonna make me big bucks! Woody comes out of glass box.
19.30 Collector drives to work. Woody tries to escape.
20.00 Woody meets with Bullseye, Jessie, the Prospector: Woody’s Roundup.
23.00 Toys find address of Al’s Toy Barn and leave.
24.30 Woody watching end of show; canceled.
26.00 Playing with Bulls Eye and Jessie – on record.
27.30 We’re being sold to museum in Tokyo. Woody: I can’t go to Japan!
28.00 Woody: This is all a mistake. Jessie: I’m not going back into storage!
29.00 Al tears off Woody’s arm. Repair first thing in the morning.

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Sequence D: Woody tries to get arm back so he can leave. (10mins)

30.00 Buzz and toys on their way to saving Woody. 19 blocks to go.
31.00 Collector asleep. Woody out of box, trying to recover arm.
33.00 TV Switches on – Al wakes up. Leaves, takes arm away.
33.30 Woody blames Jessie of switching on TV. Woody & Jessie fight.
34.30 Prospector stops them. Woody: get arm fixed, then out of here.
35.30 Toys have to cross the road. Traffic cones. Traffic chaos.
37.00 Repair man arrives – Cleaning montage (1). “You can’t rush art.”
38.00 Al’s Toy Barn closed. Opening door, all together. Going in.
39.00 Cleaning montage (2) – Painting over Andy’s name. Just like new!

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Mid: Buzz swap – Jessie changes Woody’s mind: staying. (10mins)

40.30 Buzz at toy shop: Buzz Lightyear aisle, NEW utility belt.
41.30 Attacked by other Buzz: they fight.
42.30 Barbies dancing. Tour guide Barbie.
44.00 Buzz locked into box. Wrong Buzz joins friends.
45.00 Woody repaired, Jessie devastated. Tells about Emily.
50.00 Prospector: stay with us. Woody decides to stay.

---

The Mid Point of Toy Story 2 was an absolute highlight of the trilogy, with Jessie telling us about Emily through the Sarah McLachlan song When Somebody Loved Me.

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Sequence D: Toys getting closer. Woody excited about Japan (10mins)

51.00 Toys looking for Woody, find Al. Buzz escapes box.
52.30 Collector leaves with toys. Buzz left behind.
53.00 Buzz escapes store but releases Zurg.
55.00 Toys enter apartment building, into elevator shaft.
56.00 Woody excited about Japan.
58.00 Toys arrive on 25th floor. Real Buzz on their heels.
59.00 Woody plays with his Roundup friends.
59.30 Toys go through air duct and break into apartment.

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Sequence F: All is lost. Woody is a yo-yo! (7mins)

60.30 Buzz picks up Woody, real Buzz stops them. Fight of the Buzzes.
61.30 Woody: I actually want to go. Explains about Roundup. Shows TV.
62.30 Buzz: You are a toy! Let’s go. Woody’s not coming. Toys leave.
64.30 Woody: what am I doing? Changes his mind. Come with me!
65.30 Jessie & Bullseye want to go but Prospector locks them up.
66.30 Toys return but Al comes in. Grabs toys and leaves.

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ACT THREE

Sequence G: Airport Climax (11mins)

67.00 Zurg appears. Rex helps defeat him. Buzz: Father!
68.30 Toys follow Al outside. Al disappears in car.
69.30 Toys drive Pizza Planet van and chase after Al.
71.00 Airport: Toys enter in pet container.
71.30 Baggage conveyor room. Looking for Woody.
72.30 Buzz knocked out by Prospector. Woody vs. Prospector.
73.00 Toys help against Prospector. Ends up in girl bag.
74.00 Jessie on luggage trolley; Woody and Buzz follow to save her.
75.00 Onto plane, too late. Plane taxis. Open up and jump off.
77.00 Buzz arrives to help. Final episode. Woody & Jessie jump off. Let’s go home.

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Sequence H: Woody’s Roundup united at home. (4mins)

78.00 Welcome home Andy.
79.00 Andy fixes Woody.
81.00 Wheezy fixed, too. Sings.
81.30 Woody about Andy: fun while it lasts. After that: Buzz.
82.00 Credits

Apart from the division in 3 acts and 8 sequences, later I will also indicate how some story points relate to the Hero’s Journey.

It’s really worth watching the first installment again to realize how cohesive the trilogy really is. The themes of the three movies are related and the visual goals are remarkably similar, too.

The only differences between my sequence structure and Paul Gulino’s approach are the end of Act One and the different division of Act Three (into a double climax – Sequence G1 and G2 – and a separate ‘aftermath’ sequence).

When I have more time later, I will add some notes to each sequence.

If you haven’t already checked it out, please go and have a look at my breakdown of Toy Story 3.

Enjoy!

ACT ONE

00.00 Walt Disney and Buena Vista leader.

*01.00 Andy playing with his toys: Damsel in distress. Woody to the rescue!
01.30 You’ve got a friend in me: Andy and Woody, best of friends.
03.00 The “special spot”: Woody is Andy’s favourite toy.
03.30 “Coast is clear!” Woody and the Toys come to life.
06.00 Staff meeting: 1 week before moving. Today is Andy’s birthday party!

07:00 Woody reassures the toys that no one will be replaced by new toys.
07.30 “They’re here!” Andy’s friends arrive with presents. Meeting Adjourned.
08.30 Code Red! Woody sends out the troops: Recon post downstairs.
09.00 Troops dispatched.
10.30 Troops report back about the contents of the presents.
11.30 Mission accomplished. No new toys!
12.00 Mum pulls out surprise present!
12.30 Red Alert: Andy is coming upstairs. Leaves new present on bed.

Sequence B: Woody in denial: still Andy’s favorite! (8mins)

13.00 Woody: “Just a mistake.” Let’s give it a nice welcome.
15.00 “I’m Buzz Lightyear. I come in peace”.
16:00 More gadgets then a swiss army knife.
17:00 Woody has Laser envy.
17:30 Woody challenges Buzz to fly.
18:00 “To Infinity and Beyond!”
18:30 Buzz falls with style! Woody isn’t Impressed.
19:00 They’ll see, I’m still Andy’s favourite. [Reluctance to change]
19:30 Strange things are happening.
20:00 Buzz Lightyear! Andy’s new favorite.
20:30 Andy: “I’m still Andy’s favorite toy.”

I include the musical montage in the first act for the following reasons:

- the montage is a visualization of Woody’s goal in reverse: he wants it to be HIM who’s being played with.

- the montage ends with a natural wipe to black, indicating a clear ‘curtain’ closing Act One.

- the sequence length is now more equally distributed, which is consistent with an audience’s attention’s ebb & flow.

ACT TWO

Sequence C: Woody’s Revenge and consequences. (8mins)

21:00 Woody confronts Buzz. “Stop with the spaceman thing”
23:00 Sid – the toy torturer. Blows up soldier.
26:00 Woody’s revenge: Buzz falls out of the window.
27:30 Andy leaves with Woody. Buzz in pursuit.
28:00 Toys trying to recover Buzz. Where could he be?

Sequence D: Stuck at Pizza Planet & unwanted help (8mins)

29:00 Fuel station: Woody and Buzz fight out their differences.
30:00 Left behind at the petrol station as Mom & Andy drive on.
31:00 Woody: “You are a toy!” Not the real buzz lightyear.”

32:00 Pizza delivery truck, a spaceship and a way home!
33:00 The cockpit, safer than the cargo bay. A bumpy ride to Pizza Planet.
33:30 Welcome to Pizza Planet! Disguises, a way to get inside.
34:30 Woody: “Andy!” Buzz: “Spaceship!” Buzz runs off.
35:00 Buzz makes peace with Aliens in the spaceship.

36:00 Woody: “It’s Sid! Get Down!”
37:00 The Claw chooses Buzz & Woody.
37:30 Sid takes the toys home: “Let’s go home and … play!!”

Sequence E. Sid’s toys. Woody tortured & Buzz’ Ordeal (9mins)

38:00 Sid’s dog Scud and sister Hayley
38:30 Sid performs surgery on his Hayley’s doll.
39:30 Sid’s mutilated toys. Woody is petrified.

41:00 Andy’s room next door. They’re home.
41:30 Sid tortures Woody with a magnifying glass.
42:30 “The door! It’s open, we’re free!”
43:30 A dog between the exit. Woody and Buzz split up.
*44:00 Television Commercial: “Star command to Buzz Lightyear!”
44:30 “Not a flying toy”. Buzz realises he is just a toy.
46:00 Buzz tries to fly. Fails miserably.

Sequence F: Woody trapped: redemption. (10:30mins)

47:00 Hayley salvages Buzz. Takes him to tea party.

48:30 Plan for return, but Buzz gone crazy.
50:30 Woody fails to convince toys. They abandon him.
51:30 Sid’s toys fix Buzz, not so evil after all.
52:30 Sid straps the rocket to Buzz, prepares for launch!

53:00 Launch delayed, Woody trapped. The clock is ticking.
53:30 Andy misses his toys.
54:30 Buzz has lost all hope. Stupid toy. Woody motivates Buzz.
56:30 Woody’s redemption. I should be strapped to that rocket.
57:00 Woody and Buzz reconcile, will work together.

ACT THREE

Sequence G1: Climax 1: Working together to defeat Sid (7mins)

57:30 The moving van is here!
58:00 Woody is free. Sid wakes up. Time for lift off!
58:30 The dog between the exit.
59:30 Woody and Sid’s toys band together to rescue Buzz.
60:30 Sid’s toys distract the dog.
61:30 Woody and the toys make it outside.
*62:00 Woody is spotted, Buzz’s launch draws near.

62:30 3…2…Woody stands up to Sid
63:00 Sid’s toys come to life!
63:30 Woody: “We toys can see everything. So play nice.”
64:00 Sid defeated. Buzz: “thanks.”

Sequence G2: Climax 2: Reuniting with Andy (8:30mins)

64:30 The Van!
65:00 Buzz gets stuck. Woody saves him, again. Chase Van.
65:30 Dog, chases them. Woody in danger.
66:00 Buzz jumps on dog to save Woody.
66:30 Woody sends out the remote controlled car (RC) to save Buzz
67:00 Andy’s toys misinterpret this as an act of aggression.
7:30 Car crash. Dog is stopped. Maximum Pile-up.
68:00 Andy’s toys in disbelief, throw Woody off the truck.
68:30 Woody gets picked up by RC. Toys realise they’ve made a mistake.
69:00 Slinky Dog to the rescue. RC is running out of battery.
69:30 Slinky lets go, RC runs out of juice.
70:00 Woody lights the rocket using Buzz’s helmet.
71:00 Rocket explodes, Buzz flys (falls with style)!

71:30 Woody and Buzz reunited with Andy

Sequence H: Return with the elixir.

72:00 Christmas. New presents. Our friends working together again.
72:30 Woody, Bo Peep and mistletoe.
73:00 Woody and Buzz, best of pals. Andy gets a dog.

THE END

Thank you to Chae Ryan for the great help!

The movie pays off on every possible level. It’s fun, emotional and has tremendous depth.

I have seen it three times, each in a different format, and the story easily withstands multiple viewings.  A few days ago I shared my views on the various technical formats. In short: I’m not overly excited about the whole 3D thing still. It’s just delivered very poorly.

But rejoice! Today we’re talking STORY!!

Yes, friends, Toy Story 3 is formulaic. Much like Toy Story 1 (See Paul Gulino’s excellent analysis in Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach), it follows an 8-Sequence Hero’s Journey structure with a powerful Mid Point Reversal. Still, it is delightfully complex as you can peel layer after layer from a wonderfully crafted script.

Trust me, this level of supremely high quality screenwriting you don’t get very often in cinemas. A team of the best story brains in the world labored over it for years, including one of the finest screenplayers of our generation. The result: the winner of the 2010 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. I’ll be damned if they don’t win.

I love doing these structural analyses and unfortunately I can’t always justify the time to write my notes with the breakdown. (At the time of this writing, I must apologize for still not having done this for the Gladiator breakdown)

This time, however, I found I had to give you at least something. Toy Story 3 is such an amazing example of successful sequential writing, as well as the pinnacle of Hero’s Journey structure. I know there are a few people out there still resisting the call from this type of structural approach but that’s fine. There’s two kinds of people in this world — Winners…and Losers. (LOL)

– massive spoilers ahead –

W.: Woody
B.: Buzz
MPH.: Mr. Potato Head
J.: Jessie
L.: Lotso
BB: Big Baby

ACT ONE

Sequence A: “Andy is gonna take care of us. I guarantee it.” (15mins)

00.00    Pixar leaders + Title
01.00    W. vs. One-Eyed Bart & Betty (Mr. & Mrs. PH), aliens & Evil Dr. Pork Chop (Hamm)
05.00    Montage of video: Andy plays with toys as he grows up. “Our frienship will never die…”

06.15    A. about to leave for college.  Toys in chest, executing plan to get A.’s attention.
07.30    Calling Andy’s mobile – plan fails as he ignores the toys.
08.00    Staff meeting. Woody: “Andy is gonna put us in the attic.” Toy soldiers give up & leave.
10.00    Woody: “Andy is gonna take care of us. I guarantee it.” Looks at old photo.
11.00    Buzz: “Guarantee it? … At least we’ll all be together.”
13.00    Andy opens chest, looks at toys, puts them in garbage bag. Woody & Buzz separated.

14.00    Andy goes to attic, Molly interrupts. Attic closes. Mom takes bag for garbage.

This is the movie’s first sequence climax. It holds both the Inciting Incident (toys to garbage) and Woody’s Call to Adventure (he witnesses the I.I.). He must act. Note that the ensuing action is not about staying together (a Call he is refusing as he’s accepted Andy’s choice to take Woody with him to college), but rather about saving his friends from the garbage truck, so they can go to the attic.

Sequence B: Woody saving friends, caught in car to daycare. (14mins)

15.00    Think, think, think! Dog Buster is no help: fat & old. Garbage truck getting closer.
16.30    Toys escape under. box J.: “I know what to do!” All in car in box to Sunnyside.
17.30    Woody: Mistake! Car door closes, drives off. W.: “You’ll be begging to go home!”
19.00    Looking through handle hole: Butterfly room. Kids playing peacefully with toys.

20.30    Warmly welcomed by other toys. Lotso: Playing all day. No owners, no heartbreak.
22.30    Ken’s Dreamhouse: Barbie in love with Ken. Lotso gives the toys a tour.
26.00    W.: “We need to go home.!” Toys try to convince him, unsuccessfully.
27.30    Buzz: “This is it? After all we’ve been through?” Extends hand to Woody. Woody refuses.

Woody’s final decision to pursue his overall goal (and initial plan) for this movie isn’t formulated until here: to return to Andy and be there for him when he goes to college. His refusal to accept Buzz’ hand is the movie’s second sequence climax and a reminder of the Inner Journey: he must learn to let go of the past and keep his loyalty to his friends, i.e. Stay Together.

Ironically, after Andy’s decision to separate Woody from his friends (in Sequence A) has been overturned, now the choice is put to Woody. He can stay together with them if he wants, but he chooses not to.

You might want to see the closing of the car door as the end of Act One, as that’s where the toys are leaving their Ordinary World. This is not a deliberate action by Woody, though.

He doesn’t voluntarily enter Sunnyside and the toys being together at that point is still too much of an Ordinary World, offering our hero a sense of comfort. The real separation only happens when Woody deliberately chooses to leave. It feels consistent with the way the sequence is built dramatically. Woody refusing Buzz’ extended hand is a tremendously powerful setup for the heart-wrenching Crisis scene, in which he will accept Buzz’ hand.

ACT TWO

Sequence C: Woody escapes. Toys see the less sunny side. (12mins)

28.30    Woody escapes: Corridor – Bathroom – Roof – Glider – Tree. Bonnie finds him.
31.00    Rough playtime. Buzz sees the Butterfly Room – contrast of peace.
33.00    Meeting Bonnie’s toys: heaven for Andy. Being played with & being loved.
35.00    Aftermath. Toys in Caterpillar Room lick their wounds. Moving to Butterfly Room!

36.00    We’re trapped! Open door.  Buzz follows Twitch and Chunk into candy dispenser.
38.30    Buzz overhears gamblers: “Lucky if they last a week.” B. Caught by Big Baby. To library!

Woody’s escape from Sunnyside is a fun ‘threshold sequence’, in which he travels and overcomes barriers to leave the world of Sunnyside.

If you want, you can see Toy Story 3 as a metaphorical tale about the end of (a toy’s) life.

Throughout the film you may recognize symbols of life and death, echoing religious notions of heaven, hell and purgatory. When Bonnie plays with Woody and throws him gently in the air, the image goes in slow motion, showing an ecstatic Woody. This is clearly heaven to him: being played with and being loved. It is no coincidence that this is where Woody will return after he narrowly escapes a burning hell by taking Buzz’ hand, a symbolic repentance.

The sequence ends on a strong climax with Buzz being in jeopardy.

Sequence D: Mid Point Reversal: Truth behind Sunnyside. (12mins)

40.00    Woody tries to leave Bonnie’s place. Toys protest.
40.30    Buzz questioned, Lotso: “We got a keeper!” Buzz reset to Demo mode.
43.00    Mrs. PH’s ‘other eye’ sees A. & Mom. “Woody was telling the truth! We gotta go home!”
44.00    Lotso: “You’re Not Going Anywhere. Lock ‘em up!” Buzz ‘disables’ them.
47.30    W. hears Story of Daisy, Chuckles, Lotso and Big Baby.  W: “But… my friends are there!”

Like clockwork, after four of the eight sequences and halfway the movie, the tables are turned.

The Mid Sequence is only the second sequence of Act Two but it falls right in the middle of the story (40mins preceding it, 40mins following it), because Act One is significantly longer than Act Three.

Reversal #1: We have learned that Sunnyside is a very dark place to be, contrary to the first impression the toys had upon arrival.
Reversal #2: As a result of #1, Woody has changed his beliefs about staying with Andy vs. staying together with his friends. (Inner Journey)
Reversal #3: Consistent with the progress in his Inner Journey, Woody changes his Outer Journey approach and in stead of returning to Andy’s place, he will return to Sunnyside and help his friends.

ACT TWO-b

Sequence E: Woody back. Getting out tonight! (16mins)

52.00    Lotso: “Rise and shine, campers! Playdate with destiny.” More rough playtime.
53.30    Woody goes back in. Phone gives W. a 4-pronged strategy: “Get rid of that monkey.”

56.30    W. back with toys: “We’re busting out of here. Tonight!” Explains plan to toys.
58.00    Executing the plan: MPH gone – distraction manoeuvre. Woody & Slinky get out.
59.00    MPH escapes from the Box w/ Tortilla. / Woody immobilizes monkey.
60.30    Barbie: “Ken, would you model a few outfits for me?”
61.00    Monkey mummified – Woody finds the key. / Hamm and Rex catch Buzz under box.
63.00    Barbie: no more games, Ken. / Mr. Potato Head: coast clear, toys come out.
64.30    Barbie gets Ken to speak, then gets manual from library, in space suit.
65.30    MPH (tortilla version) vs. Bird / Toys ‘fix’ Buzz but he goes in Spanish Mode.

Act IIb shows a new direction, a clear plan is laid out and a ticking clock speeds up the action. This sequence has a great energy, quite positive for an Act IIb sequence. But this is done deliberately in order to create a stark contrast with the sequence that follows.

Sequence F: Escaping + Woody’s Ordeal & Transformation (15mins)

68.00    MPH (cucumber version) returns. All leave, outsmart Big Baby, who’s on guard.
69.30    Buzz courting Jessie with dance. She is happy to see Woody again.
70.30    Buzz opens the shute. On the other side: Lotso & Co. Phone: “They broke me”.
72.30   L.: “You need to avoid that truck. Join our family again.”
73.30    Woody: what about Daisy? She loved you. Big Baby: “Mama!”
74.00    BB pushes Lotso into garbage container. Alien stuck, Woody helps, is pulled in.
75.00    Too late: toys  in garbage truck. Buzz saves Jessie and is returned to normal.
77.00    Arrival at the dump. Aliens run towards claw but are caught by passing truck.
78.00    Conveyor belt. W.: “Stay together.” Woody and Buzz save Lotso.
79.00    We’re all in this together! Daylight! Not daylight but oven.
79.30    Lotso betrays them. “Where’s your kid now!” All going down.
81.00    All toys holding hands, ready for the end. Woody takes Buzz’ extended hand.
82.00    Light from above. The Claw! Aliens are in control.

This sequence creates instant cinema history. At the Mid Point, Woody chose to stay with his friends. In this Approaching the Inmost Cave stage, the hero’s new belief is tested.

The sequence opens light-heartedly, with Mr Potato Head having changed his disguise from a tortilla to a cucumber. Soon the tone changes, with Big Baby’s creepy reference to The Exorcist and before we know the toys are in the garbage truck with a scene that could be a reference to Star Wars‘ trash compactor scene. This could be mistaken for the story’s Crisis but not for long.

Woody and his friends have lived through all the stages of a toy’s life and they’ve arrived at the dump, where the hero will face the Ordeal, in the Inmost Cave. It will be the story’s lowest point, both literally and figuratively. Woody is on his way to hell (the oven) and before he deserves heaven (Bonnie’s room) he will need to redeem himself.

The moment when the toys are all holding hands, facing death, is hands-down the greatest cinematic moment I have seen in a long time. Woody passes the test glowingly as a transformational hero when he redeems himself for rejecting Buzz at the end of Act One.
The tightness of the screenplay is just astounding at this point. The religious reference is obvious when suddenly the light shines from above, but another layer is added in by the fact that The Claw had always represented the little aliens’ God.

ACT THREE

Sequence G: Road Back + Climax. Woody does the right thing (10mins)

83.00    MPH “Eternally grateful.” Lotso onto front of truck. Keep mouth shut!
84.00    W.: “Maybe attic not great idea.” Andy still packing. On garbage truck (with Sid).
85.00    Home, go back in box ‘Attic’. Toys say goodbye to Woody. “Take care of Andy.”
86.00    Andy back in box ‘College’. Mom emotional. “I wish I could always be with you.”
87.00    Woody writes a note. Andy: “Donate?” Mom: “Whatever you wanna do.”
88.00    Andy drives to Bonnie’s place, introduces toys to Bonnie. “Take good care.”
90.30    Bonnie finds Woody: “My cowboy”. Andy confused & conflicted. (Climax)
91.30    Andy’s decision: “You think you can take care of him for me?”

With a Crisis of the magnitude as we’ve seen here, the movie can’t go wrong anymore. Still, surprises keep piling up.

This final installment in the Toy Story saga is different from the others in that Woody interferes with the world of the humans – with lasting impact – more than once. It works perfectly for a number of reasons. I can think of two:

1. If you see the three movies as three acts in the overall arc, it is normal that the hero is more active in the final act. Having Woody change the world of the humans is a fabulous way of making this happen.

2. The toys’ license to interfere with the world of the humans is set up in the very early scene when they call Andy’s mobile phone.

3. Woody’s final action causes a moment of choice for Andy, similar to Woody’s own journey climax.

92.30    Andy: Thanks guys. So long, partner.

93.00    The End.

To conclude, I would like to point out that it is so much easier to analyze a great story – and this is not even a proper analysis, just a rough outline – than it is to write one. The first you can do in a few hours; the last takes a few years. That said, I hope that this analysis helps some people to see the difference between following good writing principles and lazily copying a formula.

Toy Story 3 ticks more boxes than any movie I have seen in recent times, yet it does it in a refreshing way. It also shows that even if you know all the principles, it will still take you years to come up with a story that is worth telling on the big screen.

If you are willing to put in the hard work and understand how an audience’s perception of story works, you can learn how to make your stories work. Just don’t expect to find any shortcuts, anywhere.

Now it’s time to add your comments below!

- Karel Segers

Karel Segers is a producer and script consultant who started in movies as a rights buyer for Europe’s largest pay TV group Canal+. Back then it was handy to speak 5 languages. Less so today in Australia.

Karel teaches, consults and lectures on screenwriting and the principles of storytelling to his 5-year old son Baxter and anyone who listens.

He is also the boss of this blog.

Writer/director Rod March talks about writing for animation.

What was the starting point for ‘Tin Can Heart’?

I saw an image of a lonely android staring up at a giant steel sphere with pipes and tubes coming out in all directions. I didn’t know who he was or why he was there, but the idea seemed very visual and it just interested me.

Then I thought to myself, what if a little puppy came along and was desperate for this android’s attention when all he really wanted was to look at the sphere? And my story began.

Was that a different approach to your other work?

Being the first serious film I’ve made, I was going into uncharted territory. I had to learn story craft as I went along.

I matured as a writer during the process of making the film and in a sense it’s a shame that you have to do the story first, because it’s the most important part and I feel I could have done it SO much better by the time we finished production than when we started!

Were do you get your inspiration from?

For me an idea starts from an image with an emotion attached to it. Once you have a vision you want to share and you know how you want it to make people feel, you can chart the rest.

I get a lot of ideas from photographs and music, probably because music has such a strong emotional quality.

What is it in animation that grabs your attention?

If you can think of it, you can make it. That’s incredibly empowering. The only limit is how much of your own time you want to spend on it.

What was the most challenging aspect of its production?

The scale. When I started out I was determined to design a modest film that I could actually finish, yet somehow it grew much larger than the single-character-single-location film that I had promised myself. How we ever got it finished, I don’t know. It is very satisfying however to see just how much detail and atmosphere we managed to get in there.

How would you describe your writing process?

Merciless. No idea is sacred. I outline over and over and over again, run the outline by my esteemed script editor/co-writer of Story Department fame, tear it down and write it all over again until it’s right. It’s about holding onto that small core of an idea which you already know subconsciously and trying to bring your conscious mind up to speed.

It’s surprising how far you have to wander from your original concept before it curves back around to almost exactly what you started with, only now it works!

For me, I know when I’m on the right track when I’m coming up with ideas that, even though they’re brand new, they feel strangely familiar also.

My writing process has evolved a lot since Tin Can Heart. If anything, I think I should have been more merciless with the Tin Can Heart script. 20/20 hindsight and all that…

Do you always have animation in mind when you start?

I always have ideas and characters in mind when I start writing. What I find interesting to write about seems to tend towards fantastical situations that really only work in animation. But I don’t think that way, I just explore what seems interesting about the idea and it turns out how it turns out.

Any advice to screenwriters interested in animation?

Do something you can’t do with real actors, and put your characters through trials real people couldn’t handle. Visually your characters are going to be caricatures of real people, so don’t hesitate to make their personalities bigger, brighter and more outrageous than real people too. The sky is the limit!

Is there a place for short films in mainstream cinema?

I think short films are great. I think audiences enjoy them, and I think the animation studios that make short films flourish. The animated short seems to have found a home at most of the big studios as a way of developing new processes and new talent. But I don’t think audiences are going to start paying extra to see short films, and that’s always the bottom line.

To me shorts are great because you can make stylistic choices that you can’t in features- if an audience is sitting down for an hour and a half they have a pretty narrow range of what they will tolerate but they’ll watch and enjoy nearly anything for 5 minutes.

What next?

There are a couple of scripts I’ve been working on over the last year or two that are just starting to take shape. I’m brimming with ideas so hopefully you’ll hear more about them soon!

After successfully completing a Course in Advanced Character Animation Techniques, Rodney March graduated from the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) with First Class Honours in 2004. Over the past two years, Rodney’s talent and skills have been in high demand as a character animator on a variety of projects. He is part of the team on the Network Seven series ERKY PERKY by world class 3D studio Ambience Entertainment and is currently Animation Director at Flying Bark, Sydney.

Tin Can Heart can now be viewed here: http://vimeo.com/13266812

In 2008 the festival potential of my own short animation Tin Can Heart – wr/dir. by Rod March – vaporised when Wall-E appeared weeks after the completion of our film. The similarities were striking…

Still, I was pleased to see we were thinking along the same lines of the master storytellers of Pixar.

I’ve seen UP twice now and I find it thematically one of the most powerful movies of recent times.

Perhaps it resonates with me because I feel I’m at the Mid Point of my own life.

“A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s the shit that happens while you’re waiting for moments that never come.” – Freamon (From: The Wire)

SPOILER ALERT – FULL STORY ANALYSIS

What follows is a rough but complete analysis, based on notes made in the dark of the cinema. Not all turned out legible afterwards…

At the bottom of this post I touch briefly on the Inciting Incident (I.I.) or Call to Adventure of UP.

Here’s another great movie that seems to fit itself wonderfully into an eigh-sequence Hero’s Journey.

Enjoy!

A. Prologue: Dreaming of Adventure (10mins)

00.00 TITLES
01.30 Little Carl in cinema: ‘Spotlight on adventure!’
02.00 Explorer Muntz found to be cheating.
02.30 Muntz off to capture the monster & clear his name.
03.30 Carl follows a girl’s voice into a house.
04.30 Ellie: You & me are in a club together now! Badge.
05.00 Getting the balloon down – Carl falls…
05.30 Carl in bed – a  balloon with a message floats in.
06.00 Ellie’s Adventure Book: I’m going where he’s going…
07.00 Carl & Ellie are getting married.

08.30 Ellie wants lots of children but can’t have any.
09.00 Saving up for the trip. Misfortune keeps striking.
10.00 Carl sees Ellie’s childhood photo, time is passing.
10.30 Carl buys plane tickets; Ellie gets sick & passes away.

ACT ONE

B. Ordinary Life in an Ordinary World (10mins)

11.30 Carl’s life alone: daily routine.
13.30 House is surrounded by a building site.
14.00 Mail: ‘Shady Oaks’ retirement village.
15.00 “You can have my house when I’m dead!”
15.30 Russell knocks: Need assistance today?
17.00 Carl sends him off: Find the snipe. -I’ll find it!
17.30 Mailbox damaged: Carl injures a man with his cane. (I.I.)
18.30 Court summons: ‘Shady Oaks’ guys will pick you up.
19.00 Carl is packing. Crosses his heart.
20.30 Meet you in a minute: a last goodbye.
21.00 Balloons: UP (PP1 – Crossing the Threshold)

Threshold Seq.: Up & away to South America (7mins)

21.30 House takes off: Postcard from Paradise Falls!
22.00 Flying through the city.
24.00 Knocking – Russell: “Please let me in”

25.30 Russell steering – sees cumulo-nimbus… 26.30 Storm, causing damage. Carl knocked out.

ACT TWO

C. Moving House across the plateau (12mins)

28.30 Carl wakes up. Russell: I thought you were dead!
29.30 Descending, landing the house in the fog.
31.00 Fog clears: Paradise Falls on the other side!
33.00 I’ll assist you over there. Only 3 days of helium.

34.30 Dogs POV, after bird. Hearing aid noise stops them.
35.30 Russell’s wilderness toilet: dig hole before or after?
36.30 Russell has found the snipe – does it like chocolate?
37.30 Bird likes Russell. Russell wants to keep it: ‘Kevin’.

D. Dug and other dogs (9mins)

40.00 Voice: Are you OK over there? Dug.
41.00 Dog is trained. Speak! “Hi there.”
42.30 Other dogs and Alpha dog
44.30 Muntz: locate them. The dogs leave.
45.00 Trying to get rid of the bird: escape.
46.30 Setting up the tent in the rain.
47.30 Russell tells of his absent father and foster mum.

E. Entering the Spirit of Adventure (12mins)

49.00 Kevin calling (can’t read my notes ;)
50.30 Kevin back with the dogs
52.30 Carl & Russell surrounded by dogs – Muntz
54.30 Muntz: no longer intruders; guests

55.00 The Spirit of Adventure zeppelin
55.30 The museum
56.30 Dinner served.
57.00 They called me a fraud: bring the creature home.
58.30 Russell talks about his bird.
59.00 Muntz sees the bird.
60.00 Dessert. Kevin calls from the house.

F. Muntz goes after Kevin (12mins)

61.00 Muntz sends dogs after Kevin. Chase.
63.00 Kevin injured, his chicks are calling.
65.30 Russell: boring stuff I remember the most.
66.30 Kevin caught, Muntz sets fire to the house.
67.30 The dogs take Kevin.
68.00 Russell: You gave away Kevin!
69.00 Carl pulls house to Pacific Falls.
70.00 Russell throws his badges in the sand.
70.30 House stuck. Carl goes inside, memories.
71.00 Finds entries in Book of Adventure.
72.00 Ellie’s photos: her life was an adventure.

ACT THREE

G. Climax: Carl vs. Charles (12mins)

73.30 Russell on leafblower to rescue Kevin.
74.00 Carl throws old stuff out to get the house flying.
74.30 Flying again.
75.00 Dug: “hiding under the porch because I love you.”
76.30 The dogs have Russell “small mail man”.
77.00 Russell to be kicked out, Carl saves him.
78.00 On board, past the dogs, find Kevin.
78.30 Distracting the dogs: Carl throws the ball.
79.00 Russell falls.
80.00 Dogs attack in planes.

80.30 Charles attacks Carl with the sword. 81.00 Carl escapes with Kevin.
82.00 Alpha dog caught. Dug is now Alpha Dog.
82.30 Fighter pilot dogs distracted: “Squirrel!”
83.30 Carl, Dug & Russell on top of the zeppelin.
84.00 Muntz attacks with gun.
85.00 Muntz falls to his death.
85.30 ” Just a house.” Descending into the clouds.

H. Return with the Elixir (3mins)

86.00 Kevin reunited with her chicks.
87.00 Our friends flying the zeppelin.

87.30 Explorers’ Graduation.
88.30 Zeppelin parked for icecream.
89.00 The house has landed on Pacific Falls.
THE END.

NOTES ON ACT ONE

UP has a classic 3-Act structure Hero’s Journey. The only journey stage that may not be immediately clear is the Inciting Incident (Call to Adventure).

What is the Inciting Incident (I.I.) in UP?

If the Adventure is the trip to Paradise Falls, then the strongest Call is surely Ellie’s “I’m going where he’s going”.

However, this is not the trigger to the story of UP. It only triggers the Prologue journey – thank you James – leading to Carl’s WOUND: at the end of this (seemingly) failed journey, Carl Fredricksen is a jaded senior, frustrated because his desire for adventure has ultimately left him alone, disappointed and unfulfilled. He is doomed to spend the rest of his life without longing, without passion for anything. Because passion will lead to disappointment.

This frustration over the things he never did is Carl’s flaw, the weakness he needs to overcome.

To understand the true Call to Adventure, let’s see in what way Carl’s Ordinary World is a fragile equilibrium. Then, the Call to Adventure (or I.I.) is the collapse of this untenable situation.

The one shot that shows the fragile equilibrium is the zoom out from Carl’s front porch to show the building site surrounding the house. Once we know that Carl will only give up his house over his dead body, we understand that something major is waiting to happen here.

The first event heralding the call to adventure is the brochure for the ‘Shady Oaks’ retirement village.

It reminds Carl that his time is running out and he needs to act now if he wants to do something with his life. But this is not the type of incident that immediately changes his life irreversibly.

So Carl refuses the call until a stronger Inciting Incident happens: a truck backs into his mailbox and causes a continuous series of consequences, leading to Carl’s decision to finally depart to South America.

It means that Russell comes knocking on Carl’s door at the exact moment in the story when we’re expecting the Mentor to turn up. Is Russell the mentor? It’s an ironic reversal of the archetypes but I think he is a combination of the Reflection character and the Mentor.

What are your thoughts on the story of UP? Please comment below!

Here is some awesome stuff for the fans of the UP artwork.

Did you see UP in 2D or 3D? Which do you prefer? Vote here.

“Animation is not a genre but an art form” says writer-director Brad Bird on the commentary track. This is one of the most enjoyable superhero action adventures I know.

It is also the #1 movie I will never forgive myself for not seeing in the theaters at the time of release. It’s in my Top 10 of all-time favourites and a strong reference movie in almost all my story classes.

ACT ONE

Prologue: The Glory Days & Wound (11mins)

00.00 TV interview: The Incredibles about their secret identities.
02.00 Mr Incredible called to the rescue, but saves the cat first.
04.30 Meets with Elastigirl on rooftop – “prior engagement”.
05.30 Bob saves man from suicide attempt, he’s not happy.
06.30 Bob stops Bomb Voyage, Incrediboy complicates matters.
09.00 Bob marries Elastigirl: she needs more than Mr. Incredible.
10.00 Superheroes are sued by suicidal: relocation program.

Sequence A: The Ordinary Life (9mins)

11.00 15 years later: Insurance clerk, warned to stop writing cheques.
13.00 After Helen sees headmaster, Dash told to be like everyone else.
15.30 Violet is shy. Always trying to be invisible. Boy looked at her!
16.00 Bob comes home, frustrated. Neighbour’s boy sees him.
16.30 Dinner: they all use their powers, Bob is not in control.
18.30 Robert reads paper: Advocate of superhero rights is missing.
19.00 Frozone calls: Wednesday, it’s bowling night.
19.30 Violet: What does anybody know about normal?

Sequence B: Secrets, Lies & Inciting Incident (14mins)

20.00 Frozone: What if we did what our wives think we’re doing?
20.30 Mirage: “He’s not alone”.
21.00 Fire rescue, escape into into jewellery shop, police catches them.
23.00 Helen: Uprooting our family to be a superhero is not good.
26.00 Boss cross: customers are experts, Bob has enough, loses it.
28.30 Boss in hospital. Relocator offers to help Bob & family.
30.00 Invitation from Mirage: Do great things. 24 hours to respond.
32.30 Lying to Helen: sent to conference. Accepting Mirage’s call.

ACT TWO A

Sequence C: Living the Dream again (12mins)

34.00 Mirage gives Bob instructions, he arrives on the island.
36.00 Bob fights the robot, terminates it. Mission accomplished.
38.30 Invited to dinner with Mirage; everything is delicious.
39.30 Montage sequence: Bob is loving the great new life.
41.00 Bob asks stylist E to repair suit; she will design new supersuit.
44.00 New assignment: Bob keeps lying to Helen.

Sequence D: Things are not what they seem (7mins)

45.00 Flying to island, nice to be back, Mirage. Briefing for 2pm.
47.00 Helen finds patched suit, calls Edna. You come in 1 hour I insist.
48.00 Bob’s meeting: I’m Syndrome, your biggest fan. You work alone.
50.30 Syndrome tries to kill Bob, he jumps in water.
51.00 Bob finds dead super Gazerbeam. “K R O N O S”
51.30 Tracers trying to find Bob: terminated.

ACT TWO B

Sequence E: Approach to Syndrome’s HQ (9mins)

52.00 E shows Helen her work: we are retired! Do you know where he is?
55.00 Removing the guards, going in.
57.30 Bob learns that the Supers are dead.
58.00 Helen finds out Bob left company, he’s  been lying.
59.30 Locator betrays Bob. Bob caught in Blobs.
60.00 E to Helen: go, fight, win!

Sequence F: Bob in the Cave / Family to the rescue (9mins)

61.00 Helen gets ready, Dash sees outfits. Calling Snug.
62.30 Helen & kids flies gov. jet, missile attack on approach.
63.30 Bob chained – Syndrome shows up.
67.30 Helen saves the kids. Get a grip!
68.30 Bob threatens to kill Mirage, doesn’t do it. S: You’re weak!
70.00 Helen to kids: use your powers. I’ll be back by morning.

Sequence G: FINDING BOB (9mins)

72.30 Mirage: Next time you gamble, bet your own life.
73.30 Helen goes into HQ, using her Elastigirl powers.
76.00 Dash: I’m gonna look around.
77.30 Rocket launch: Dash & Vi run.
78.30 Dash & Vi discovered. They have to run.
79.30 Mirage tells Bob his family is alive. Helen finds the two.

Sequence H: REUNION IN THE CAVE (7mins)

82.00 Dash runs & fights & runs.
83.30 Bob & Helen // Violet disappears, Dash to the rescue.
85.00 Family reunion.
85.30 S appears. Captures them, shows what the robots do. “I’m real”
87.30 Bob apologises, Violet releases them, escaping.

ACT THREE

Sequence I: Threshold Sequence (5mins)

88.00 To the rocket, Mirage helps
89.00 Frozone getting ready
90.00 Syndrome “saves baby” but can’t stop robot.
91.00 Incredibles arrive with bus.

Sequence J: INCREDIBLES vs. SYNDROME (8mins)

93.00 Robot attacks them.
94.00 Frozone helps. Bob has the remote control.
97.00 Taking out the robot.
97.30 Syndrome still around
98.00 New hope for the supers.
99.00 Kari (babysit) calls: thanks for replacement – S
99.30 Jack-Jack’s special powers. Bob throws Helen.
100.30 S in turbine / Violet protects them.

Sequence J: THE INCREDIBLE(S) TEAM (3mins)
101.30 3 months later: Tony & Violet / Dash comes close second
102.30 The Underminer: they all get ready to work together.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY

In a prologue full of beautifully dramatised exposition, we meet Bob, Helen, Frozone and Incrediboy. We learn about the role of the Supers and their fall – or Bob’s ‘wound’.

ACT ONE

The Ordinary World for Bob doesn’t start until after the prologue, “15 Years Later”. It is literally an ‘ordinary’ world and he has a strong longing to swap this life for something more exciting. This stage extends for two sequences, in which we see Bob’s boring day job as well as his exciting secret night escapades.

But he is a flawed hero. He lies to his wife and hates his job. He is blamed of not doing his fatherly duties. This Hero is ready for change.

The Call to Adventure comes with the message from Mirage, the Herald and Shapeshifter who seduces Bob into a adventure that promises exactly what Bob has been lacking in his life.

After hardly any Refusal, Bob crosses the Threshold and accepts Mirages offer. Again he lies to Helen, saying he’s off to a conference.

ACT TWO

The typical pitfalls of a second act are overcome by using a solid sequential structure and by interweaving Bob’s journey with that of his family. In the middle of the act sits a powerful Mid Point Reversal, which accelerates the Hero’s Inner Journey and gives his Outer Journey a new direction.

The first half of Act Two consists of a number of Tests for Bob, leading to his first assignment, which Bob completes effortlessly. So in a way this assignment can be seen as just another ‘test’ in the journey. Bob is loving his new life. But he’s still living the lie, so a reversal is looming. Going back to the island, he is to meet with with his employer but instead he is attacked by a robot and for the first time, he finds himself face to face with Syndrome, his Shadow.  It turns out he has created this shadow by rejecting (his need for a) Buddy. In order to resurrect as the transformed Hero, Bob will not only need to defeat Syndrome, but take on the very character quality Buddy/Syndrome represented: team spirit.

Although The Incredibles never FEELS formulaic, it ticks all the boxes of the Journey, including the almost cliche’d beat of the Mid Point: the Leap of Faith. To escape his enemy, Bob dives off the cliff (Butch & Sundance style) into the water below. Seconds later, the reversal is complete when he learns the full truth about Syndrome and the fate of the Supers by discovering the meaning of “KRONOS”.

The next sequence is a typical Approach to the Inmost Cave, i.e. trying to get into Syndrome’s HQ. There, Mr Incredible will face his lowest point when he is chained in the cave, first alone, then together with his family.

The traditionally melodramatic Ordeal scene is peppered with mild sarcasm,  when Dash cuts into Bob’s redemption speech and Helen says: “Shhht! Don’t interrupt…”

Brad Bird shows again how you can use a template like the Hero’s Journey and use it in an original way: the Reward is shown BEFORE the Ordeal, as we see on a big screen what Syndrome is up to. So the Incredibles know where to go and what to do once they’re out of their predicament. It makes the transition more fluid than in many movies, where the Reward magically – and quite randomly – appears immediately after the redemption.

ACT THREE

The Road Back ‘Threshold Sequence’ is a fully fledged chase sequence back to the Ordinary World, including running, flying and driving.Technically you can argue that this sequence belongs nor in Act Two (Special World) nor Act Three (Ordinary World) but I place it in Act Three because it happens after the Hero is ready to confront the Shadow. The race to the mainland is in effect the first action after the 2nd Act Turning Poing (PP2 or Ordeal/Reward).

Back on the main land, the family engages with Syndrome. The subplot of Jack-Jack and the babysit leads into the final showdown and Syndrome’s demise pays off the setup about the caped Super-costumes. Delightful.

In a brief Elixir-sequence, Dash finally  gets his chance to shine and Violet shows her regained self-esteem. In the final scene of the movie we see how the Incredibles will continue their lives.

Of the movies I have seen, I fail to find any truly great. I won’t go in detail as I suspect there will be an abundance of articles critical of the winner in each category.

Closest to timeless comes WALL-E and despite the fact that the film has ruined the chances of my own recent short animation (co-written with and directed by Rodney March) I am happy WALL-E won the statuette.

Our film TIN CAN HEART has more than a few aspects in common with the first 40mins of WALL-E. We completed our film a few weeks before the release of the latest Pixar pic but by the time the film festivals received it, they saw the similarities as a lack of originality.

Such is life.

People who, like me, get to read a great number of Australian screenplays are astounded how poorly developed most of these works are. The ones that stand out are often the ones that have had and taken on board professional feedback.

Great traditional narrative. When Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) finds out somebody is controlling his life, he wants to stop her from killing him. The conflict: antagonist Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson) needs to finish her book and can’t without doing exactly that. A beautiful example of a strong inner and outer journey for protagonist Crick plus an exemplary ‘relationship line’ around the Ana Pascal character (Maggie Gyllenhaal). As Michael Hague puts it: the hero needs to complete his arc in order to get the girl.

Otherwise, here are some tips to save you the money and frustration I sacrificed on my way to stardom.

Being a decent citizen, I buy after I try. So I replaced my “trial” version of Final Draft with a legit copy, hoping the bugs would go. It turned out to be the equivalent of going to see THE DA VINCI CODE in the cinema. I felt I had been caught in the trap of some excellent marketing. But what should you expect from a screenwriting package? Let’s put things in perspective.

The last time I checked, Final Draft cost AUD$569, or roughly the same as the entire Microsoft Office Suite. All that, while some simple MS Word macros or style sheets can achieve what Final Draft does? Plus: you have the wildest flexibility in terms of backups, tracking changes, spell-checking, saving online etc. If you don’t have MS Office or you hate Bill G.: OpenOffice. Free.

If you’re really dying to part with your money on a script package, explore Movie Magic Screenwriter (formerly: Screenwriter 2000). Cheaper than Final Draft and better value for money in my view.

But why pay if your writing isn’t earning you any money (yet)? No, I’m not referring to BitTorrent here. A new, totaly FREE piece of software is called Celtx. Still in its infancy but growing rapidly, with a smart development team behind it and community-oriented.

Celtx intends to go a lot further than just the screenwriting bits: it aims at becoming the central command post for your film’s entire project management. If they manage to stay afloat, it may well become a filmmakers’ software of choice.

Now, if you believe that any of the above will help you writing better scripts, you have fallen prey to the Film Industry’s Greatest Con. These are all just word processors with serious formatting limitations. Jazzed-down versions of MS Word if you wish.

Here is my advice for the cash-poor: don’t spend a cent on script formatting and save your money for software that helps you with the hard work. Instead labour on the story using Dramatica Pro, John Truby’s Blockbuster, Movie Outline or Powerstructure.

I used to use the last one, as it distinguishes itself from the others in pretty much the same way MM Screenwriter does among the script software. Powerstructure has immense flexibility, allows you to write full scenes, just one liners, or whatever in between you feel comfortable with.

You can customise it to your own favourite structure, be it three acts, sequences or Vogler’s THE HERO’S JOURNEY, then export directly to a text file or into whatever script software you use. If you’re a member of that circle of writers who first write their entire first draft before starting to outline, you can import your existing script to reshape its structure. Admitted, I’ve had a few quirks doing that but the PS support team helped me out.

Powerstructure makes a lot of sense, as it works in the way most movie decision makers think. It is being distributed by the wonderful guys at WriteBrain, where you can download a trial version.

Even better than burning your money on software: give it to a human story/script editor who could really make a difference for you. ;-)

DVD COMMENTARY: McCABE AND MRS MILLER

I found a downright great commentary on this unsung masterpiece by writer/director Robert Altman, in which Warren Beatty opens a whorehouse in the Old West.

Although thirty-five years old, this movie could be seen today alongside the razorsharp doco THE CORPORATION and – to a lesser extent – AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH. It ultimately tackles corporatisation and if you wish globalisation within the genre of the western. And as the commentary puts it: Altman won’t give you a John Wayne type of Western hero. No. Warren Beatty’s protagonist will shoot you in the back if his life depends on it.

The voice recording of this commentary track is so crystal clear you can literally hear producer David Foster’s watch ticking in the background as he explains why every man and his dog in Hollywood wants to work with this director. I agree: Altman has a vision and integrity that is so rare you won’t even find it with masters like Scorsese. Unlike the latter, Altman will NEVER make ‘one for the Studio’.

My favourite bits are the account of Leonard Cohen’s musical collaboration, Altman’s hilarious tirade about western’s big hats and the master’s view on dialogue:

“The dialogue in these kinds of films [...] is part of the character [...]. It is not the words that are important. [...] That’s too related to theater, where you [...] advance plot with the words. When you have close-ups of people and faces [...], it’s just better that the words come from the moment or from the actors themselves.”

Altman makes this statement in the context of Beatty’s soliloquies in the film. He asked Beatty to mumble to himself inaudibly before actually delivering the crucial lines in soliloquy. As a result, the audience is used to the character talking to himself in a more or less natural way. And here is the mark of a good commentary: the director sharing with us his struggles to make the movie work.

DVD COMMENTARY: ANTZ

Recently I consulted to a team of comedy writers, which was a completely new and refreshing experience to me. As I’m not a comedy expert, I focused on the (lack of) drama in the script and afterwards the writers were happy enough about the outcome to hire me again for a look at the next stage.

Comedies that don’t work often still work on the scene level but they have issues with the overall story arc. Situations and dialogue may be absolutely hilarious. If there’s no dramatic undercurrent, the audience WILL switch off.

I found a quote on the commentary of ANTZ that makes the exact same point about the input from Jeffrey Katzenberg (photo), who was uncredited producer (and the “K” in Dreamworks SKG):

“We added a lot of comedy kind of after the fact. It’s one of the things that Jeffrey Katzenberg really pushes hard: get the drama to work because if you’re rely on the comedy, you’re gonna loose the audience’s interest in the characters. So sure enough we really focused on the drama and afterwards we [...] ended up upping just the silliness of it, the humor of it.”

This charming animation, in which Woody Allen voices the neuroses of the ant “Z”, dates from the turbulent days when Dreamworks went head to head with Disney’s A BUG’S LIFE. Ironically it was Katzenberg who had sealed the deal between Pixar and Disney.

Directors Johnson and Darnell don’t deliver by far the cutthroat commentary we’re used to hear from the Pixar guys, but they do give some insight in their struggles during the development. Notably their work on the character of Princess Bala (Sharon Stone) and her relationship with the protagonist are interesting from a story point of view.